Saxagliptin and Dapagliflozin for type 2 Diabetes mellitus: A Review

Qtern® is a fixed dose combination tablet of Saxagliptin and Dapagliflozin which is indicated for the advancement of glycaemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It can be done either when medication with metformin and/or a sulfonylurea with a monocomponent of either Saxagliptin or Dapagliflozin render poor glycaemic control, or when the subject is treated with the free combination of Saxagliptin and Dapagliflozin. This review compiles pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) along with pharmacological properties, mechanism of action, and side effects of both the drugs. Furthermore, the method of determination of combination is described in this review. The agents have corresponding mechanisms of action, which further adds to the benefit of using this combination. The mixture is associated with reduced body weight and a low risk of hypoglycaemia. It is the first dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor and sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT2) inhibitor fixed-dose combination available in the EU therefore can act as potent option for glycaemic control in patients with T2DM.